It’s the boy band equivalent of a supergroup.

New Kids on the Block have joined forces with their predecessors New Edition for a song called “Full Service” that will appear on NKOTB’s upcoming September release. Both groups are celebrating anniversaries this year: the New Kids are celebrating twenty years since the release of their breakthrough album “Hangin’ Tough”, and New Edition is celebrating their 25th anniversary as a group.

New Edition\'s 1984 hit single \"Cool it Now\"

These groups share a lot of history. Both were formed in Boston, with the New Kids coming about only after New Edition had left writer/producer Maurice Starr’s camp in search of major label money. There’s been a bit of (rightful) bitterness on New Edition’s part because the New Kids were afforded opportunities that the significantly more talented NE guys weren’t- and we can probably correctly surmise that the ethnic make up of the two groups was responsible for that.

NKOTB\'s #1 smash \"Step By Step\" from 1990

Anyway, I’m definitely looking forward to what Ronnie, Ricky, Mike, Ralph, Johnny, Donnie, Danny, Joe, Jon and Jordan will come up with (sometime N.E. member Bobby Brown did not participate in the recording session). If the New Kids and New Edition can settle their differences and work together, does that mean there’s hope for the Middle East?